1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 162 ] [ 13–15 JANUARY 1944 ]
Advance part of U.S. Third Army leaves Fort
Sam Houston, Texas, to embark for ETO.
SOLOMON Is.—Americal Div completes movement
to Bougainville.
N EW BRITAIN—Arawe beachhead is now
strengthened by Co B, 1st Tank Bn, 1st Mar Div,
and Co F, 158th Inf.
AFHQ—U.S. Seventh Army planning group
under Brig Gen Garrison H. Davidson moves from
Sicily to Algiers to work on plans for ANVIL, invasion
of S France. Planning headquarters for
ANVIL is designated Force 163.
ITALY—15th Army Group: Gen Alexander, CG,
directs U.S. Fifth Army to impose maximum losses
on enemy S of Rome and to clear Rome; advance to
general line Civitavecchia–Viterbo–Terni and later
to Pisa–Pistoia–Florence. Long-range objective of
Br Eighth Army is Faenza–Ravenna region. Importance
of speed is stressed.
U.S. Fifth Army orders VI Corps (Gen Lucas) to
land in Anzio–Nettuno area at H Hour (0200) on
D Day (22 January) and drive on Colli Laziali. In II
Corps area, 2d Bn of 168th Inf, 34th Div, overruns
Cervaro; other units of the div continue to clear hills
near the town. On right flank of II Corps, TF B
reaches Capraro Hill. FEC, with 3d Algerian Div
on left and 2d Moroccan Div on right, opens drive
toward S. Elia and makes steady progress.
USSR—Russians envelop Sarny, in prewar
Poland, and take it from rear. Germans are counterattacking
around Vinnitsa, SW of Kiev.
13 January
PACIFIC—CINCPAC-CINCPOA Campaign
Plan GRANITE outlines tentative operations to be conducted
and timetable: carrier raid on Truk about 24
March in support of invasion of the Admiralties and
Kavieng; capture of Eniwetok and Ujelang Atolls
in the Marshalls (CATCHPOLE), 1 May; capture of
Mortlock and Truk in the Carolines, 1 August; invasion
of the Marianas (FORAGER), 1 November. If
Truk can be bypassed, it is proposed that the Palaus
be invaded on 1 August. 27th Div is alerted to prepare
to seize Eniwetok.
NEW BRITAIN—ADC Group continues attack
toward Hill 660 with 3d Bn, 7th Marines, but is
pinned down short of objective. Arty and aerial
bombardment precede the attack. 864th Engr Aviation
Bn arrives to help repair Cape Gloucester airdrome.
BURMA—In Hukawng Valley, Ch 38th Div
gains firm control of Tarung R line as 114th Regt
reduces the last strongpoint in Yupbang Ga area.
112th, to N, has cleared region between the Tarung
and Sanip Rivers. 1st Bn, 113th Regt, upon crossing
the Tarung at Yupbang Ga, patrols N to Tabawng
Ga.
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s II Corps area, 168th Inf of 34th Div finishes
clearing heights overlooking Le Pastinelle and the
Rapido Plain. TF B (1st SSF and 133d Inf) is dissolved,
having completed its mission; RCT 133
remains in position. 2d Bn of 135th Inf reduces
troublesome strongpoint (Pt 189) S of Cervaro. II
Corps is now in position for assault on last hill
barring access to the Rapido, M. Trocchio.
BOUGAINVILLE—Arty units of Americal Div begin
relieving those of 3d Mar Div.
14 January
U.S.—President Roosevelt, in message to
Chiang Kai-shek of this date, delivered on 15th,
asks that Yunnan forces be committed in Burma in
conjunction with operations from India; hints that
if they are not, lend-lease to China may be curtailed.
NEW BRITAIN—3d Bn, 7th Marines, drives to
top of Hill 660, final objective of ADC Group.
USSR—Breaking through enemy positions on
broad front, Soviet forces take Mozyr and Kalinkovichi;
during next few days deepen the salient.
15 January
U.S.—War Department abolishes Central Defense
Command and transfers its functions to
Eastern Defense Command.
NEW BRITAIN—Relief of ADC Group is begun.
NEW GUINEA—Elements of Aus 9th Div reach
Sio, on N coast of Huon Peninsula.
BURMA—In Hukawng Valley, 1st Bn of 113th
Regt, Ch 38th Div, followed by 3d, reaches Kaduja
Ga; 2d Bn is in reserve at Yupbang Ga. 3d Bn of
114th Inf is reinf by 2d Bn of same regt.
ITALY—15th Army Group: U.S. Fifth Army
successfully concludes operations against Winter
Line with capture by II Corps of M. Trocchio; is
now confronted by Gustav Line, which follows the
Garigliano, Gari, and Rapido Rivers to Cassino and
continues to Br Eighth Army boundary along hills
above Cassino. U.S. Fifth Army’s Br 10 Corps prepares
for assault across lower Garigliano. 5th Div
moves quietly forward, night 15–16. II Corps overruns
M. Trocchio without a fight, Germans having
withdrawn main forces across the Rapido. 135th Inf,
34th Div, takes this last height before the Rapido
while 168th Inf on right and 141st Inf, 36th Div
(which has relieved 6th Armd Inf on M. Porchia),
on left keep pace. In FEC area, Germans abandon
S. Elia, corps’ objective.
USSR—Troops of Leningrad Front, having quietly
concentrated W of Leningrad, open power-